Inside Druids House 407-409 Swanston St Melbourne c1989- planners holding plans
Melbourne CAD heritage study 1985-1900s, c1989.
The Ancient Order of Druids was founded in Victoria c.1862. The institution was part of the nineteenth century friendly society movement in which the members of each society provided mutual assistance in times of need. In essence, the United Ancient Order of Druids was an early health insurance fund in which a regular, voluntary subscription entitled a member or his family to an allowance, medical treatment and medicine in the event of illness and a benefit in the event of a member's death. The Druids proved to a particularly profitable venture and a financial assessment for the five years to November 1921, revealed a surplus of over £30,000. It was resolved that the Order should commit to the construction of its own premises and £24,000 was transferred from the surplus to cover the costs of the project..
Druids House, was completed in 1926 as a seven storey headquarters for the Order. Designed by the firm of Gibbs, Finlay, Morsby & Coates, and constructed by EA Watts 1..
The resulting building is a unique architectural design in which the building facade serves as a physical expression of the august institution within. The street elevation takes the form of an abstracted temple front with a heavy , rusticated plinth treatment to the lowest two storeys, boldly abstracted columns rising through the intermediate floors to a shallow pitched pediment device to the upper floor level. The building is further distinguished by its eclectic rendered detailing and the sculptural relief to its summit. While temple fronted buildings are reasonably common within the CBD, the approach is unusual for a buildings of these proportions. The results are remarkably successful..
The Druids Friendly Society is still active within Melbourne although it divested itself of the its Swanston Street headquarters some years ago 2..
.
Druids House is significant for its distinctive facade, designed as an expression of the character and ideals of the United Ancient Order of Druids. The building also provides an insight into the activities of Friendly Societies in Victoria
Inside Druids House 407-409 Swanston St Melbourne c1989- planners holding plans
Melbourne CAD heritage study 1985-1900s, c1989.
The Ancient Order of Druids was founded in Victoria c.1862. The institution was part of the nineteenth century friendly society movement in which the members of each society provided mutual assistance in times of need. In essence, the United Ancient Order of Druids was an early health insurance fund in which a regular, voluntary subscription entitled a member or his family to an allowance, medical treatment and medicine in the event of illness and a benefit in the event of a member's death. The Druids proved to a particularly profitable venture and a financial assessment for the five years to November 1921, revealed a surplus of over £30,000. It was resolved that the Order should commit to the construction of its own premises and £24,000 was transferred from the surplus to cover the costs of the project..
Druids House, was completed in 1926 as a seven storey headquarters for the Order. Designed by the firm of Gibbs, Finlay, Morsby & Coates, and constructed by EA Watts 1..
The resulting building is a unique architectural design in which the building facade serves as a physical expression of the august institution within. The street elevation takes the form of an abstracted temple front with a heavy , rusticated plinth treatment to the lowest two storeys, boldly abstracted columns rising through the intermediate floors to a shallow pitched pediment device to the upper floor level. The building is further distinguished by its eclectic rendered detailing and the sculptural relief to its summit. While temple fronted buildings are reasonably common within the CBD, the approach is unusual for a buildings of these proportions. The results are remarkably successful..
The Druids Friendly Society is still active within Melbourne although it divested itself of the its Swanston Street headquarters some years ago 2..
.
Druids House is significant for its distinctive facade, designed as an expression of the character and ideals of the United Ancient Order of Druids. The building also provides an insight into the activities of Friendly Societies in Victoria